Reverse-plating mechanism for knitting machines



March 27, 1934. H. vH. HOLMES Er AL 1,952,318

REVERSE PLATNG MECHANI'SM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed July l, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 27, 1934. H lH HOLMES Er AL 1,952,318

REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed July l, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 27, 1934. |-1 HOLMES Er AL' 1,952,318

REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed July l, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 27, 1934. H, H, HOLMES ET AL 1,952,318

REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 1. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 @l i l March 27, 1934. H HOLMES ET AL 1,952,318

REVERSE PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNI'TING MACHINES Filed July l, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 needles and to the reversing guides.

Patented Mar. 27, 1934 REVERSE-PLATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING ll/IACHINES Henry Harold Holmes and Robert Harold Robinson, Leicester, England, assignors to Wildt and Company, Limited,

Leicester,

England, a British company Application July 1, 1929, Serial No. 375,048 In Great Britain July 6, 1928 23 Claims.

This invention consists in improvements in or relating to reverse-plating mechanism for knitting machines. The mechanism to be described hereinafter, comprises several features, all of which are combined to produce in their mutual co-operation a greatly improved mechanism. Nevertheless, some parts thereof are applicable to machines otherthan that to be specifically herein described and are to be considered as subordinate integers of the invention capable of individual application to such othermachines, not necessarily reverse-plating knitting machines.

One aspect of the invention may be said to relate to machines having feeding means to supply two or more yarns in company to the needles, and Vreversing yarn-guides which are operable on the yarns at a position between said means and the knitting point, i. e. the needle by which the yarns are being taken. The term reversing yarnguides is to be understood as meaning yarnguides by which the relative positions of the yarns as they are fed to the needles may be changed from time to time in accordance with the pattern to be produced. These guides serve,

yin fact, each to act on its own yarn to change the' position-of that yarn relatively to another or others of them, and either so to guide the yarn that it will be knitted into the fabric so as to appear on the face thereof, or so to reverse its position that it Will not appear on the face but will'be thrown to the back.

There-may be any desired number of feeders of any preferred form which will serve to introduce the yarns, two or more at a time, to the The yarns may be introduced individually, each by one feeder, or a single feeder may serve to introduce two or more yarns.

In a specific form of the invention, each reversing guide presents a guiding surface over which the yarn is thrown without threading it through an orice as it passes toy the needles. This phase of the invention also includes speciallyformed reversing guides, a relatively fixed guide 'or throat situated in advance of the reversing device, such as has been described above, a movable yarn-presser or -deflector which serve to hold a newly-introduced yarn or yarns in position on the yarn-reversing guides, while a rel' placed yarn-or yarns is or are Withdrawn. A replaced yarn is one that has been used in the (Cl. (i6- 137) knitting operation and is withdrawn in favour of a newly-introduced yarn to alter the pattern effect. Y

In other modifications of the invention, another or other yarn-engaging devices or guides may be so situated between reversing means, such as the reversing guides, and the position at which the yarns are being taken by the needles that one at least of the yarns will press against the surface of the guide as the yarns are being taken into the hooks of the needles.

Moreover, in order to improve the reversal on relatively large cylinder machines, there may be provided a needle-deflector which presses seriatim on the backs of the needles so that the hook of that one that is about to take the yarn is moved outwardly beyond the circle on which the needle-hooks normally are situated.

The foregoing and other features of the invention, or of the subordinate integer portions thereof, will be more clearly understood from the following' description of a preferred construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of the yarn-feeding, -reversing and -guiding members;

Figure 2 is a, View of the parts shown in Figure l, looking from the left-hand side thereof;

Figure 3 is a View, in elevation, of the reversing guides with the cover removed;

Figure 4 is a plan of the parts illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a schematic View showing one feeder in and one out of use and illustrating the relative positions of the several guides and the threads; Y

Figure 6 is an under plan view of a threadtrapper and -severing device;

Figure '7 is a side elevation of the trapper shown in Figure 6, viewed from above in that Figure;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a composite view showing a plan looking down on the latch-ring to illustrate the relative positions of the several parts illustrated in Figures 1-8;

Figure 10 illustrates diagrammatically the relative positions of sinkerand stitch-cams for controlling the sinkers for the purpose of ensuring accurate yarn-reversal;

Figures 11, 12, 13 and 13au show successive steps in yarn-reversal with the aid of sinker-guiding for at least one cf the yarns; these figures illustrating respectively substantially the relations between the sinkers and needles at the positions indicated by the lines X1, X11, X111 and Xla on Fig. 10.

Figure 141 is a side elevation, with the coverplate removed, of a modied form of reversingguide mechanism for use with three yarns that are simultaneously fed to the needles;

Figures 15 and 16 show alternative positions into which the three yarn-guides can be adjusted;

Figure 17 shows an elevation of the mechanism, similar to Figure 14, but with the coverplate and adjustable stop-bracket in position;

Figure 18 is an end View, looking from the right of Figure 17, and

Figure 19 is a view, similar to Figure 14, of a reversing-guide mechanism capable of operating on four yarns which are to be fed simultaneously to the needles.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings. n

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, a machine intended for reverse-plating two yarns may have a plurality of interchangeable yarn-feeders 10, each of which, as shown, may supply two yarns simultaneously to the needles. The relative positions of the feeders can be interchanged at will for bringing any of the yarns into or out from the feeding position. As shown in Figure 1, all the yarn-feeders are shown in the non-feeding position, but in Figure 5 one feeder, designated by the reference 100, is shown in the feeding position. Associated with these yarn-feeders, which, for reverse-plating, will be moved into the feeding position one at a time (as they each supply two yarns) are reversing guides 11 and 12. The latter are constituted by endwise movable rods guided one above the other and c-ppositely inclined relatively to a plane that is normal to the lengths or t e needles. The lower one 1'; is upwardly inclined and the upper one 11 is downwardly inclined so that their extremities, adjacent the needles, are close together. They are interconnected by a swinging and centrallypivoted link 13 whereby, when one of the guides is moved towards the needles, the other is retracted therefrom. As shown in the drawings, the guide 12 has been moved relatively to the guide 11 so that the yarn passing over the guide 12 will be closer to the line of the needles than will that operated on by guide 1l. When their positions are reversed, the relative positions of the yarns to the needles will also be reversed.

Both yarn-guides are shown as having guidegrooves 14 and 15 respectively, which engage the yarns so that the latter may be taken by the guides 11 and 12 respectively and without being threaded through eyes. By the inclination of the reversing guides, not only are 'the yarns changed as regards their relative proximities to the needles, but the heights of the yarns as they pass over the guides, considered lengthwise of the needles may also be reversed on each. change of the relative positions of the guides.

Alongside the reversing guides 11 and 12 and situated between them and the feeders is a fixed guide or throat constituted by a tapering channel 16 facing the needles and formed in a relatively stationary partadjacent the guides 11 and 12. This channel 16 serves to assist in maintaining the yarns in contact at all times with `their respective interchangeable guides 11 and 12.

The mechanism for controlling the actuation of the yarn-feeders 10 is contained in a casing 17 and is similar, for instance, to that described in the specification of prior Brit-ish Letters Patent No. 213,609. Briefly, such mechanism comprises, for each feeder 10, a slider of which the tail end 18 extends into the path of an abutment. The ends 18 are of different heights and the abutment (which is not illustrated) is adjustable to any one of the heights of the tails under the control of a pattern-chain or its equivalent. Between the parts 18 and the abutment, there will be relativerotation about the axis of the machine. Each of the yarn-feeders is normally held in the non-feeding position shown by means of a spring 19, one end of which is anchored to a xed part of the mechanism and the other end of which is anchored to an upstanding iinger 20 formed by slotting the edge of the yarn-guide. Each of the latter is in the form of an open frame having yarn-delivery guide-eyes 21 at the bottom end and other guide-eyes 22 at the top end. They are each pivoted to swing at 23 approximately midway in its length, between the side members oi the frame 17.

When one of the tail members 18 is pressed inwardly by engagement with the adjustable abutment above mentioned, a slider, of which the tail 18 constitutes a part, will be moved to the left in Figure 1, and an arm or ling r, indicated in dotted lines at 24, will press against the yarneeder and swing it about its pivot 23 so as to move the guiding eyes 22 of the feeder thus selected to the left in Figure 1, and the delivery eyes 21 to the right. The selection of any one feeder (or more than one feeder simultaneously) serves, by the mechanism described in the earlier British Specification No. 213,609, to release the yarn-feeders that have hitherto been retained in the feeding position. At the same time, the newly-introduced feeder or feeders will be held by means of a catch, the outer extremity of which is shown at 300 in the feeding position.

Reversal of the guides 11 and 12 is effected by means of an endwise-movable plunger 25 that is operated by bits 26 which, for example, may be insertable in pattern-rings 27 also as described in the prior specification. When the plunger is in the raised position illustrated in Figures -1 and 2, an abutment 28 carried by it is raised above the tail end of the guide 11 to allow springs 29, operative on each guide 11 and 12, to move the guides automatically to the position shown in Figures 1 and 3. When the plunger falls from a bit such as 26, the abutment 28 presses on the end of the guide 11 and moves it endwise to the left in Figures 1 and 3, and this movement, by means of the link 13, retracts the guide 12 in the opposite direction. It will thus be appreciated that the endwise movements of the plunger 25 effect reversal in the yarn-feeding positions cf the reversing guides 11 and 12. 1

As a means for producing bands of plain knitting when desired, one of the sliders which controls the position of one of the yarn-feeders 10 has secured to it a pin 30, the upper end of which extends into a slot in a crank or arm 31 rotatably mounted on the upper end of the plunger 25 or of an extension rod. 256 coupled thereto, as shown in Figure l. The crank 31, though rotatable on the rod 250 cannot move relatively thereto in lthe direction of the length of the rod. As this slider is moved, the pin 30 rotates the arm 31 so that a cam surface 32, carried on that extension, co-operates with another cam surface 33 on a fixed part of the attachment iirst to raise the rod 250 and thereafter the basel of the cam 32 is brought by angular movement on to the horizontal surface bordering the cam 33. yI'he latter will be held so raised 'during the time that this particular slider is retained in a position to hold its associated feeder in the feeding position. The operation of the plunger 25 is therefore nullied during that period-of timeas the rod 250 is held clear of any movement imparted to the plunger 25. If the rods 2,5 and 250are in one piece, then the plunger 25 will be heldv one of the guide-rods 36 (or on each of them if preferred), tends always to maintain the jaws closed together. The movable jaw is actuated byl means of an endwise-movable plunger 39 which carries a finger 40, the end of which, when the plunger is moved to the left in Figures 5, 6 and 7, will engage with the adjacent face of the movable vjaw and open it against the compression ofv the spring 38.

A pin 41, extending laterally fromthe plunger 39, has pivotally mounted on it a yarn-finger 42 which will move in companywith the movable jaw 34. The yarn-nger has a downwardly-extended lip 43'which, as it is moved forwardly,will engage VVbeneath the yarns to be trapped. The

nger 42 also has in it a guide-slot 44 which en- Y by chance between one or the other of the inter mediate plates. or between them and the jawplates.`

Associated with the trapper is also a. cutter comprising a fixed knife-blade 46 and a movable blade 47 swinging about the axis. of the pin 48. Endwise movement imparted to .another slider 49, parallel with the slider 39, of which the forward e'nd 50 engages and moves Vthe swinging blade 47,(serves to operate the cutter.

The sliders 39 and 49 are operated in sequence by means of an adjustable abutment indicated at 360, between which and the sliders there is relative rotation about the axis of the needle-cylinder. The abutment 360 is adjusted fromthe inoperative position illustrated into a position in which it will engage the sliders at appropriate times. The sequence of operations will be` as followsz- When it is desired to replace, for instance, two threads by which reverse-plating has been effected by two others for a change of pattern, the two new threads are first introduced by actuation of their feeders 10. A yarn-presser or -deflector 51, to be described more fully hereinafter, will follow up behind the newly-introduced yarns to aid in leading them to and to hold them in position in the guide-throat 16. Simultaneously, the

feeders for the two yarns previously used will beY automatically released; as explained above, by the mechanism in the casing 17, and will move upwardlyunderthe action of the control-springs 19. These latter yarnswill be moved to a position above and within the circle of the needle-hooks and will be. brought directly beneath the trapperjaws. The trapper is at this point opened by engagement of the aforesaid adjustable abutment 360y with the slider 39. A sloping surface 350 on the movablejaw 34 ensures the guiding of the threads into thespace between the opened jaws. During the opening of thejaws, the yarn-fingers 42 moves beneath the yarns that are about to enter .the jaws `and lifts them in between the trapper-jawsor plates. Meanwhile. the newlyfed yarns will have left the jaws. The opening and closing Vof the latter is a quick operation, and immediately following the actuation of the slider 39, the shear-knife 47 is actuated by engagement of the abutment with the slider 49 and the newlytrapped yarns are thereby severed.

The yarn-presser or -deflector 51 is in the form of an open or bow-like frame pivotally mounted -at 52 at a position between the throat 16 and the adjacent yarn-feeder l0. The presser has a straight side 53 to engage the newly-introduced yarn, and it is rocked about its pivot 52 by the pressure of a nger 54 that is integral with and moves with the particular finger 24 of the slider which actuates a feeder 10. Each slider will have fingers 24 and 54 and each of the latter presses against the flat face of a rod 55 on which the presser 51 is mounted. The fingers 54 apply pressure to the Vface of the rod 55 above the pivotal axis thereof so that the presser will be swung downwardly about its pivot as the fingers 54 move to the .left in Figure 1. The design of the parts is such that the movement of the presser 51rwill follow up that ofthe yarn-feeders 10. In other words, the yarnswill be introduced in advance of the side'53 of the presser 51 so that the latter follows up behind the yarns to hold those which are newly introduced against the throat-platefl. This lis brought about by providing for lost Inotion between fingers 54 and the rod 55 as a yarnfeeder 10 is rst rocked on its pivot. In fact, the design of the parts is such that a feeder 10 will be moved farther than is required to bring its yarns into feeding position and to engage the catch 300 with the feeder, and it is during the last part onlyof this-movement that a finger such as 54 engages and rotates the rod 55.

The relative positions of a newly-introduced feeder 7100), yarn-presser 51, feeder l0 not in action, yarn-guide 63, yarns and trapper device are clearly indicated in Figure 5. On release f the slider, that is to say, after the tail end 18 has moved from engagement with the selecting abutment, a spring-pressed plunger 56 will move the presser 51 upwardly into the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The presser, however, will be retained in its downward position long enough to hold the newly-introduced yarns against the surface of ythe throat 16 during the time that the sinker, which is. so situated between the reversing guides and the position of the needles that, as has been before'stated, at least one of the yarns vwilllpress against the surface of that guide.

When .a sinker is employed for this purpose, it is preferably in theform illustrated fragmentarily at 57 in Figures 11 to 13. The guide is constituted the lengths of the latter.

by a forwardly-directed and inclined edge 58 of the lsinker. By the term forwardly directed and inclined is meant an edge which is directed towards the needles and is inclined with respect to The sinlcers are operated or moved in timed relation to the loop-forming movements of the needles as will be understood from the relative positions of the stitcheam 59 and sinker--cams 60 illustrated in Figure l0 in which a section of the cam-tracks is indicated at the left of that gure with a portion of a sinker diagrammatically shown in place. While the needle is being raised to a clearing height, the sinkers are in their forward or webholding position; and they are retained in this position during the time that the needles are being .drawn downwardly by the edge 59 of the stitch-cam 159. Immediately preceding the lowest point of the stitch-cam, a rise 61 in the sinkercam serves to move a sinker, (by engaging the butt 157 thereof) which is immediately in rear of the needle at which reversal is to take place, so that the sinker is drawn rapidly backwards away from the needle. The maximum outward movement of the sinker is completed just as the needle is reaching its lowest position as indicated in Figs. 10 and 13a. The face 160 of the sinkercam operating on a shoulder 158 of the sinker serves, after this sudden retraction, to return the sinker to its normal position.

Figure 11 illustrates the position of the needle in relation to the sinker just prior to the latter reaching the rise 61, Figure 12 shows the relative movements that have taken place in the needle and the sinker shortly after the commencement of the outward movement of the latter, and it will be seen that during the entire outward movement of the sinker, that one of the yarns which is lowermost of the two that are being fed simultaneously to the needles is pressed against the edge 58. It will be understood that during this movement, the yarns are under tension, and the thread which engages the edge 58 will press and rub against that edge as the sinker retreats. This gives a relative but controlled movement of the two threads which positively draws the lowermost thread in front of the uppermost one in the needle-hook (Figs. 12, 13 and 13a).

It is found that unless there is yarn-control at the needles, as by sinkers for example, the bres oi the two yarns, particularly in the case of woolen yarns, are apt to become entangled and to interfere with accurate reversal and separation. This inaccuracy is now overcome by means of this guiding by sinkers or equivalent. It will be appreciatedthat the withdrawal of the sinkers, in the region immediately in advance of the needle that is taking the yarn, is delayed more than is usual for the normal operation of the sinliers.

1t is not essential to this phase of the invention to use sinkers as guides for the above purpose, and a feature of the invention may therefore be said to comprise a system of knitting by reverse plating, which system includes the interchanging oi the relative feeding positions of the yarns by means of interchangeable yarn-feeders or reversing guides and the employment of sinkers or other elements which are disposed between the interchangeable feeders or reversing guides and the needle taking the yarns and which affords one ormore guiding edges against which at least one of the yarns is pressed as the yarns are drawn by the hook of the needle. It will be understood that the yarn-guides 1'1 and 12 should be situated as closely as possible to the needle that is taking the thread.

It is found that on circular knitting machines of relatively small diameter, little difiiculty is experienced in feeding two yarns to the needles so that they are readily taken by the hooks. On large diameter machines, however, as for eX- ample, l8 or 24 machines, reverse-plating on any particular needle is considerably more dirhcult owing to the interference of neighboring needles with the stretch of yarn coming from the feeder. There is only a very small angle between the line of the yarn and a tangent to the needlecircle at the point at which the yarn is being taken. On smaller machines, this angle is much greater and consequently yarns can be fed directly into the hooks of individual needles.

According to this last phase of the present invention, the diiculty with relatively large roachines is overcome by the provision of a needledeflector which presses seriatim on the backs of the needles. in the kpresent example, the needledeflect-or comprises a iinger 62 which can be adjusted to press on the backs of the needles and which remains in xed relationship with the yarn-guides, it being carried by the same bracket by which the reversing guides and feeders are supported. The amount of deflection to be effected by the finger is adjusted by setting the latter further towards or away fromV the axis of the needle-cylinder until the best adjustment is obtained.

It is obvious that many modifications in the details parting from the nature or spirit of the invention or any one of its subordinate integer parts, and the invention is not to be limited by the details described. For instance, the means for retaining the plunger or bob-pin 25 inoperative at will is obviously subject to modification. The yarn-feeders may be of other forms than that described herein, and their interchangeability may be controlled in any other desired manner.

- As regards relatively minor struction of the machine illustrated, it will be seen that an additional yarn-guide in the form of a wire loop 63 is preferably provided. The function of this guide is two-fold and is best understood from an examination of Figure 5 when a feeder is taken out of action, the yarns fed by it are engaged by the member 63, and the stretch of the yarns between the feeder and the knitting point is so vdeflected by 63 as to enter the trapper 34:A Additionally, when a feeder is moved into the feeding position, the backward movement of the feeder-eye 21 causes the yarn to slide back along the horizontal portion of 63 and to be thus guided to the throat 16.

It will be further seen that the movements of the guides 11 and 12 are limited by means of a pin 111 passing through a slot 112`in the coverplate 113 which encloses the guides, and this pin can travel lbetween adjustable stops 114 and 115 carried in the arms of a U-shaped bracket 116 attachedto a xed part of the device.

A latch-opener 100 is provided, as usual, `to ensure that the latches of allneedles will be open in time to receive the yarns; t Y

It will be understood thatv the bitsv 26,' which have been illustrated as serving to raise the plunger 25, may be,'and preferably willbe", substituted by projections movable under the control of pattern mechanism for example and preferably of the jacquard'typesuch as isY described, forexof construction may be made without dedetails of conif amp1e,in prior zBritish Patents Nos. 308,240 or 293,059. More particularly such jacquard means preferably comprises a perforated jacquard band or card carried by a grooved platen into which grooves projections' from selector-members pass when openings are presented to them by the jacquard card or band. The platen rollers, as they are rotated step-by-step, serve Ito move the selector-members so that projections equivalent to the studs 26 carried by or coupled to the selector-members, are moved into and out from the path of the plunger in accordance with the pattern to be produced.

' The modification of the reversing yarn-guides, illustrated in Figures 14 to 18, shows a construction in which the two reversing guides ll and 12 are replaced by three reversing guides 70, 71 and 72. The guide is pivotally mounted at 73 in a Supporting plate 74, and the guides 71 and 72 are both pivotally mounted therein at 75. The guides 70 and 7l are interconnected by means of a projection'76 formed out of the metal sheet from which the guide 70 is itself cut and a slot 77 into which the projection extends. The guide 70 is rocked on its pivot by means of a rod 78 having a pin 79 entering a slot 80 in the guide 70. The two extreme positions of adjustment of the rod '78 are shown respectively in Figures 14 and 15. In the former, the yarn-guiding extremity 170 of vthe guide 70 is shown in advance of the similar extremity 171 of the guide 71; but in Figure 15, these positions are reversed.

rIVhe third guide 72, having a yarn-guiding eX- tremity 172, is pivotally connected by means of a pin-and-slot connection, indicated generally at 81 (Figure 14), with another endwise-m'ovable rod 82 which is parallel with the rod 78. By means of the rod 82 the guide 72 can be moved from its extreme rearward position, shown in Figureli, to its extreme forward position shown in Figure 16. n

The rods 78 and 82 are controlled by springs 83 and 84 respectively, tending always to move the rods to their extreme positions towards the right ofFigure 14. Laterally-projecting pins 85 and '86 pass respectively through slots 87 and 88 in an adjustable stop-bracket 89. Adjustable stops or screws serve to limit the movements of the rods-78 and 82 by engagement of the pins 85 and '86 respectively with the screws 90.

In order to adjust the positions of the feeders, the rods 78 and 82 are controlled by abutments 28 and 128 actuated respectively by bob-pins 25 and 125. The parts 28 and 128 are similar, respectively,V in their action to the part 28 described in connection with Figure land the companion drawings, and the bob-pins 25 and 125 are similar to the bob-pin 25 of the previous example and may be controlled in the same way from projections 26 either constituted by bits in a bit-ring or by projections adjustable into positions beneath or clear of the bob-pins by means of jacquard controlling mechanism.

kWhen the parts are in the position shown in Figure 14, it will be appreciated that the yarn led over the surface 170 of the guide 70 will be laid into the needles in front of the yarns guided by the guides 7l and 72 and will be knitted into the fabric so as to appear on the face thereof.

When the guides are in the position shown in Figure l5, the yarn guided by the guide 7l will be brought to the front 0I" the'fabric, whereas in the position of the parts illustrated in Figure 16, the two guides 70 and 7l have been brought to a mid-position, while the guide 72 is moved to its most forward position so that its yarn will be brought to the face of the fabric. The mid-position of the guides 70 and 71 can be brought about by adjusting the abutment 28 to such a height that it does not press the rod 78 fully home.

In Figure 19, a further modification is shown in which instead of a single separately-controlled guide, such as 72, two-similar and separately-controlled guides 72 and 91 are provided, and these are controlled respectively by rods 82 and 92. The control of the guide 91 may be brought about by an adjustable abutment 228, similar in its action to the abutments 28 or 128.

It will be seen in this construction that there are four reversing yarn-guides so that it is possible to control the position of four yarns simultaneously fed to the needles.

With either of the constructions illustrated in Figures 14 to 18, or in Figure 19, respectively, it

is possible, if desired, to bring two yarns simul-v taneously to the forward position so that while they will be jointly plated on the other yarn or yarns, it will be a matter of chance, from stitch to stitch, which one of the yarns of the forward pairwill show on the front of the fabric, and a further knitting effect can be produced in this manner.

The machine hereinbeore described is one in which the needle-cylinder is intended to remain stationary and the yarn-feeders and their associated parts to revolve around the cylinder axis. It is obvious, however, that with modications well und rstood the cylinder may be caused to revolve and the yarn-feed and associated parts remain stationary. Moreover, there may be any desired number of reversing yarn-feeders according to the size of the machine.

We claim:-

l. In aknitting machine having a bank of needles, the combination of two or-more yarnfeeders movable to and from positions in which they deliver their yarns substantially in position to be taken into the needles, reversing yarnguides operable on the yarns -at a position between the feeds and the knitting point, said reversing yarn-guides being Vrnovable relative to each other to change the positions of the yarns, one with respect toA another, and means to move said bank of needles on the one hand and, as a unit, said group of yarn feeders and group of reversing yarn-guides on the other hand, one with respect to the other, to, in effect, carry said group of yarn feeders and group ofV reversing yarn-guides along said needle bank in a direction to supply yarn to the needles successively.

2. In a knitting machine having a bank of needles, the combination of more than two yarnfeeders movable to and from positions in which they deliver their yarns substantially in position to be taken into the needles, means for moving a part of `all said yarn-feeders at a time, at will, to said positions, reversing yarn-guides operable on the yarns delivered by saidyarn feeders at a position between said yarn-feeders and the knitting point, said reversing yarn-,guides being movable relative to each other to change the positions of their yarns, one with respect to another, and means to move said bank of needles on the one hand and, as a unit, said group of yarn feeders and group of reversing yarn-guides on the other hand, one with respect to the other, to, in eiect, carry said group of yarn feeders and group of reversing yarn-guides along said needle bank in a direction to supply yarn to the needles successively.

3. In a knitting machine having a bank of needles, a plurality of yarn feeders, a plurality of reversing yarn-guides having yarn-engaging portions located between the respective feeders and the knitting point and being movable relatively to each other to change the positions of their yarns, one with respect to another, said yarn feeders being movable to present their yarns to said reversing yarn guides and to remove their yarns therefrom, and means to move said bank of needles on the one hand and, as a unit, said group of yarn feeders and group of reversing yarnguides on the other, one with respect to the other, to, in eiect, carry said group of yarn feeders and group of reversing yarn-guides along said needle bank in a direction to lay yarn at the needles successively.

4. In a knitting machine having a bank of needles, more than two yarn-feeders movable to and from positions in which they present their yarns to the reversing yarn-guides hereinafter mentioned and from whence the yarns pass to the knitting point, means for moving a part 0i all said yarn feeders at a time, at will, to said positions, reversing yarn-guides operable on the yarns delivered by said yarn feeders at a position between the respective yarn feeders and the knitting point, said reversing yarn-guides being movable relative to each other to change the positions of their yarns, one with respect to another, and means to move said bank or needles on the one hand and, as a unit, said group of yarn feeders and group of reversing yarn-guides on the other, one with respect to the other, to, in eiect, carry said group of yarn feeders and group of reversing yarn-guides along said needle band in a direction to lay yarn at the needles successively.

5. Reverse-plating mechanism according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the reversing guides moves in a path that is inclined with respect to a plane that is normal to the lengths oi the needles.

6. Reverse-plating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein each one of the several reversing guides moves in a path that is inclined with respect to a plane that is normal to the lengths of the needles.

7. Reverse-plating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein two reversing yarn-guides are employed which move in paths that are oppositely inclined with respect to a plane that is normal to the lengths of the needles.

8. Reverse-plating mechanism according to claim 1, combined with fixed yarn guiding means interposed between the yarn-supply means and the reversing guides for the purpose described.

9. Reverse-plating mechanism according to claim l, combined with means providing a fixed yarn-guide, interposed between the yarn-supply means and the reversing guides, which fixed guide presents a guiding surface or surfaces over which the yarns are drawn without threading them through orices.

10. In a knitting machine, the combination of a bank of needles, yarn guide means to feed a tions ofrthe yarns, one which respect to ano-then 'to reverse the plating at the second mentioned 0I said two needles while said yarn-engaging means 'Y is in engagement with at least said one of said yarns to prevent the reversal of the yarns at the side or said yarn-engaging means opposite the side of said yarn-engaging means which faces said yarn guide means,

ll. The subject-matter of claim l0, wherein the yarn-engaging means, at any instant, is constituted by a forwardly-directed and inclined ed e of a sinker, and the sinkers serve successively to present a yarn-engaging edge to the yarns.

l2. The subject-mattei' of claim 10, characterized in that there are a plurality of said yarnengaging means, each constituted by a movable sinker, the sinker operation being so timed that a sinker adjacent to the needle that is to take the yarn moved outwardly with considerable rapidity just as the needle is nearing the end o its loop-forming stroke.

13. A system of knitting by reverse-plating, which system comprises the interchanging of the relative feeding positions of the yarns by means of reversing guides or feeders, and the.

employment of sinkers, the withdrawal of which in the region in advance of the needle by which the yarn is being taken is delayed more than is usual in order to afford one er more guiding edges against which at least one of the yarns is pressed as it is being drawn by the hook of a needle in rear of those sinkers to form a loop or stitch.

14. The combination with the subject-matter of claim 1, of a movable yarn-presser or -delector (tor example 51) and means to move it to a position in which it will hold a newly-introduced yarn or yarns on the reversing guides while a replaced yarn or yarns is or are withdrawn.

l5. In or for a knitting machine, the combination with yarn-reversing guides against which the yarns are pressed as they pass to the needles of a movable yarn-presser or -delecton and means to move it to'hold one or more newly-introduced yarns in position against the guides while a replaced yarn or yarns is or are withdrawn.

16. The subject-matter of claim 15 characterized in that the presser is in the form of an open frame having one side, for engaging a newlyintroduced yarn or yarns.

17, In or for a knitting machine, a yarn-feeder in the form of an open frame having a yarndelivery guide-eye or eyes at the bottom end and another guide-eye or eyes at the top end, and so formed that the said open frame can be pivotally mounted by one of its side members.

1.8. n a knitting machine, the combination of a bank of needles, means for delivering a plupoint, said bank of needles on the one hand and said means and said reversing yarn-guides on the other hand being movable one along the other so that said means and the reversing yarnguides may feed yarn to the needles successively,

and said reversing yarn-guides being movable with respect to each other to change the positions of the yarns with reference to each other.

19. In a knitting machine having needles, the combination of means for delivering a plurality of yarns substantially in position to be taken by 15* the needles, a plurality of reversing yarn-guides over which the yarns pass from said means to the knitting point, said reversing yarn-guides as a group being xed with respect to said means but being movable with respect to each other to change the positions of the yarns with reference to each other and a needle-deflector which presses seriatim on the backs of the needles so that the hook of that one that is about to take the yarn is moved outwardly beyond the circle on which the needle-hooks are normally situated.

20. In or for a knitting machine, the combination with the subject matter of claim l, of an adjustable member controlled by patterning abutments for interchanging the relative yarnfeeding positions of the said feeders, and means co-operating with the bob-pin or like member and automatically actuated by pattern-control means for holding the said pin or member inoperative for any predetermined length of knitting to produce plain knitting while it is so held.

21. Reverse-plating mechanism according to guides are each pivoted about a xed aXis so that as they are swung, the general paths of their movements are in directions that are inclined to a plane that is normal to the lengths of the needles.

22. Reverse-plating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the reversing yarn-guides are operable by means of plungers whereofh one of the plungers serves to actuate two yarn-guides simultaneously to move them in opposite directions, and each other such plunger serves to actuate a single yarn-guide.

23. The subject matter of claim 1 characterized by the fact that each of said reversing yarnguides presents a guiding surface over which the yarn from a yarn feeder is drawn Without threading it through an orice as it passes to the needles.

HENRY HAROLD HOLMES. ROBERT HAROLD ROBINSON.

CERTTEGATE QF CRRECIQN,

Pateni Ne. 1,952,318. March 27, 1934.

HENRY HARLD HLMES, ET AL.

is hereby certified that errer appears in the primed specification of the above numbered paent requiriiig eeifeetie as feiiews: Page 3, line 87, for "yam-fingers" read yarnfiinger; 5, line 20, eaim l, for "feeds" read feeders; page 6, line 78, claim EG, for "which" read with; and or the blank line 276, insert tee words claim criaracerized in iiat the reversing yarn; and iha :he said Letters Pateil sheud be iea with these cerreetiens therein that the same may conerm te the record of 'ne case in the Patent Gffee.

Signed and sealed this 29H1 day of May, D. i934.

Bryan M. Battey (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents, 

